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Via Raw Story, Rachel Maddow points out that in a move to make himself the Republican presidential candidate in 2012, the so-called "sane, centrist, future of the Republican Party" Tim "Fear the Mullet" Pawlenty is putting together the usual assortment of Republican scum to run his political PAC:

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has signaled with the creation of his Freedom First PAC that he has his eye on the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, however, believes that far from making him a credible candidate, the list of Pawlenty's consultants and strategists represents "a who's who of some of the worst Republican scandals of the past decade."

Maddow pointed in particular to Pawlenty senior advisor Terry Nelson, a former deputy chief of staff at the Republican National Committee "known for being the guy in charge when the infamous New England phone-jamming

case went down."

That dirty tricks maneuver sabotaged the Democrats' get-out-the-vote operation during the 2002 New Hampshire election and helped elect Republican John Sununu to the Senate. Nelson was the direct supervisor of RNC regional director James Tobin, who was convicted for his role in the case.

Maddow went on to describe how Nelson then left the RNC to beoame a media consultant, hired an advisor to the Swiftboat Veterans, and was behind the notorious race-baiting "Harold, call me" ad that helped defeat the 2006 senatorial campaign of Democrat Harold Ford but was condemned even by many Republicans.

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Pawlenty has also hired former White House political director Sara Taylor, who became notorious in 2007 for her role in the US Attorney scandal and her inability to recall anything of significance when called to testify before Congress.

People for the American Way has created an ad that is now playing in potential Democratic-pick up Senate seats, targeting Susan Collins (Maine), Norm Coleman (Minnesota), Elizabeth Dole (North Carolina), John Sununu (New Hampshire) and Gordon Smith (Oregon).

As part of People For the American Way's Save the Court campaign, we're running ads in key states targeting senators who voted against their constituents' interests by supporting George W. Bush's extreme judicial nominees.

The ads below call out senators who sided with Bush when it came to judicial nominees whose decisions had very real — and negative — impacts on families in their state.

I'm a member of PFAW. You can join as well, and your donation will help buy ad time and hopefully help us increase the Democratic majority in the Senate.

By the way, one of the reasons that Dole faces such a tough race? The perception that she is nothing more than an empty suit. In 2006, she only spent 13 days in her state and was rated by Congress.org as 93rd most effective senator. In a field of 100, that's gotta hurt.

While entities as disparate as Alaska Democrats and the National Review are calling for Ted Stevens to resign following his indictment yesterday, Marc Ambinder asks who else may be touched by this scandal.

Stevens himself promises to barrel on continue with his re-election campaign

"Senator Stevens' campaign for re-election is continuing to move full steam ahead. Our office has been flooded today with calls and emails from supporters urging the Senator to press on. The message from them is clear: Alaska needs Ted Stevens in the U.S. Senate."

Riiiigggghhhhttt. Meanwhile Rep Gordon Smith (R-OR) reported donated money to Stevens' campaign even after the investigation became known, and got some from Stevens in return. Jeff Merkley challenged Smith to return the funds to Stevens, something Smith initially agreed to do. But not so fast...It appears that Smith has decided to merely donate some ($10K) of the $39,000 he's received from Stevens, unlike his fellow Republicans Elizabeth Dole and John Sununu.

Could we see some further tainting of the Republican brand during this election? Mark Begich is running for Stevens' seat, he could sure use your support.

Tom Flannery: Goddamn republicans! Gothamimage: Warning: Suspicious Libby Leaks

Over at The Reaction, Michael J.W. Stickings has a comprehensive post on the reaction--across the ideological spectrum--to Bernake's nomination as sucessor to Greenspan.

Shrillblog: Timothy Noah welcomes Bush I Chief-of-Staff John Sununu to the Ancient, Hermetic, and Occult Order of the Shrill.

World O'Crap tears the WSJ a new one...",0] ); D(["ce"]); D(["ms","12218"] ); //-->World O'Crap tears the WSJ a new one in only the WOC way....

Lamar Alexander
Robert Bennett
Christopher Bond
Jim Bunning
Conrad Burns
Saxby Chambliss
Thad Cochran
Kent Conrad-(Democrat)
John Cornyn
Michael Crapo
Michael Enzi
Chuck Grassley
Judd Gregg
Orrin Hatch
Trent Lott
Lisa Murkowski
Richard Shelby
John Sununu
Craig Thomas
George Voinovich

Find your Senators' phone number here, and call them:

What should we call this group? Give me some names. One Democrat, the rest Republicans. That's not surprising. The Party of the _ _ _ _ I'm reminded of a certain Clint Eastwood movie.

AmericaBlog says: That would be 27% of the Republican Senators who refused to oppose lynching, vs. 2% of the Democrats. Enough said.

Atrios says : Pro Lynching

Daily Kos says: Who didn't sign lynching bill?

The Carpetbagger says: Good news, bad news on the lynching apology.

Law Dork says: Dirty Dozen? (Or, uh, 21?)

Orcinus says: Failing in the present. It's an excellent read about the history of the non-anti-lynching bill

The Right wing is mostly silent on this so far today: Al Franken's speech from the Talker's Magazine Party was very popular.

Instapundit links to two others who say- the Supreme Court which owes the apology. And of course a note about Robert Byrd

Update-Kos is reporting that Kent Conrad added his name today to the anti-lynching resolution passed yesterday, making the holdouts an all-GOP cast.